Extreme weather events, such as heat waves and harsh winters due to climate change, have occurred in recent years in California and Texas. These two states experienced power outages during such events, putting the lives of the homeless, the elderly, the poor and the disabled at risk as their medical appliances could not work.
It is now known that these two states are not able to provide reliable electricity when the phenomena are chaotic.
For the past two decades, severe weather has been the main cause of power outages. These outages increased by 67% during this period.
Scientists are sounding the alarm that these extreme weather events, such as heat waves, fires, cold and hurricanes, will become more frequent and intense due to climate change.
In these two states, power generation facilities are not designed for such situations. Even the electricity providers cut off the supply so as not to cause a fire during the hot months, as has happened in the past. And even the needs for electricity can not be met when the air conditioners are turned on at the same time with the result that it is interrupted. Also these two states are dependent on fuel for energy production and when the cold is intense then the oil wells freeze and can not be mined.
The problem seems to be because these two states did not invest in batteries that can store energy.
The authorities now seem to want to promote renewable energy sources even at the individual level so that every building and house with photovoltaics and wind turbines can generate electricity.
[Source: http://www.theguardian.com]
